Willamette Lawyer | Spring 2014

WUCL – Home of the Northern Lights: Deemed “Alaska’s Law School,” Willamette’s College of Law has a surprising number of grads putting their law degrees to work in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

litigation role in energy matters before the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Brena’s position often has him litigating
against lawyers for BP, Exxon and
ConocoPhillips, which jointly own TAPS. He
calls it a “pleasure and unique opportunity”
to compete with the “best and brightest”
lawyers in both state and federal jurisdiction
within and beyond Alaska.
In one case, Brena is assisting a new
municipally owned gas utility to bring natural
gas service to unserved areas of the
Fairbanks North Star Borough. Transitioning
from diesel and wood to natural gas, Brena
says, will benefit the health, environment
and economy of the community.
Team player
It’s my understanding
that Willamette
has more graduates
in Alaska than any
other law school.
Alaskans have viewed
Willamette as the
‘Alaskan law school’
for a long, long time.
—ROBIN BRENA
Reflecting on his own career, Brena is the
first to recognize the role his colleagues,
staff, family and friends have played in his
success in and out of the workplace.
Investing in people, giving due credit and
accepting responsibility, he says, are a must.
Willamette as the ‘Alaskan law school’ for a long, long time. Of any law
school in the nation, I’d say it has the strongest connection.”
“As the face of the team, you may end up
with a good deal of credit, but most of the
things you accomplish in life are the result of
other people’s efforts.”
Bell, who has worked with Brena for 28 years, mirrors that sentiment. “I
think Willamette’s small size and terrific, open and friendly faculty are a
great fit for Alaskans.” The strong emphasis on the fundamentals, he
says, left him feeling well-equipped and anxious to “show his stuff.”
Starting his own firm made all the difference
in Brena’s career, and he encourages young
attorneys to seize opportunities and
vigorously pursue their own goals rather
than “playing it safe.” He also tells them to
argue only the cases in which they truly
believe.
Brena calls the outreach by Dean Curtis Bridgeman “outstanding” and is
grateful for him making Alaska a priority. In 2013, Bridgeman traveled to
Alaska twice, meeting with Brena on both occasions. “Those of us that
are Willamette grads are very appreciative of that,” Brena says, noting
that the visits galvanize the gathering of alumni. Another AlaskaWillamette informal get-together for potential students and graduates is
likely to take place at Brena’s home this summer.
“If you don’t believe it,” Brena says, “you
shouldn’t argue it.”
He continues: “The truth sounds different
than anything else. … If you say what you
believe is the truth, people will hear it and
walk away from your argument knowing
that you believe it’s the truth. That counts for
something.”
Alaska’s law school
Decades after graduating, Brena’s relationship with his alma mater remains strong.
­“It’s my understanding that Willamette has
more graduates in Alaska than any other
law school. Alaskans have viewed
On a flawless Hawaiian day, Brena looks out toward Kahoolawe Island
as he speaks warmly of the law school that put him on the path to a
meaningful career, blazing his own trail from Willamette to Alaska and
Washington to Wailea.
“My experience at Willamette was excellent. The joint-degree program
was wonderful. If you want to be competitive in the marketplace, it’s not
just about having a J.D. degree anymore. It’s about that and something
more, and I think the ‘something more’ are these joint-degree programs
that allow you to better integrate into the fields that you’re interested in
working in,” says Brena.
“I’d encourage students to go to Willamette because it is an excellent law
school with great professors. It gave me good framework for success.”
By Jon Letman, a Kauai-based independent journalist who writes about plants,
politics and people in the Asia-Pacific region.
Spring 2014 | 13